In quest for power forward, Rockets hope Beasley pans out

Known first as a scorer, Beasley also can help on defensive glass

Michael Beasley's best season as a pro came with the Timberwolves, for whom he averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in the 2010-11 season.

Photo: Pat Sullivan, STF

CHICAGO - With Michael Beasley the latest power forward to take a place on the Rockets' roster, it can be officially said they have turned to the far ends of the earth in search of an answer at their most vexing position.

The import from Shangdong will be the latest to try to fill the void at the position that has dominated their transactions for years. The Rockets have tried draft picks (Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Donatas Motiejunas, Terrence Jones, Royce White, Montrezl Harrell). They have made trades (Luis Scola, Thomas Robinson, Josh Smith). They have looked to free-agent signings (Beasley, Smith), with other free-agent pursuits falling short (LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Bosh).

The Rockets have started six players (Jones, Clint Capela, Harrell, Trevor Ariza, Smith and Motiejunas) at the position this season alone. Including Capela, their backup center, the Rockets have six power forwards on the current roster, more if small-ball options Ariza and Sam Dekker are included.

Yet of all those players to have received a Rockets paycheck, few have brought Beasley's potential. Off-court issues sent Beasley through stops with three NBA teams, including three stints with the Miami Heat, along with two seasons in China. But his potential makes him unique among the many power forwards to have taken their turn passing through that revolving door.

"His ability to score is different from all of them," Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "He can iso. He can catch-and-shoot. He can post up. That's where he's different. He can flat-out score the ball."

Struggled in Phoenix

Beasley's best season was in 2010-11. Playing in Minnesota, where Bickerstaff was a Timberwolves assistant, Beasley averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game. He slumped the following season and signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Suns.

The struggles that eventually sent Beasley to China to rebuild his career came to a head in Phoenix, but the talent remained. Amid indications - and pledges - that he has grown past those issues, Beasley returns to give the Rockets a power-forward option they have lacked.

Although he's a scorer joining a high-scoring team, Beasley also has been a strong defensive rebounder. While he has never been the kind of defender the Rockets could also use, they are last in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage. Beasley has the potential to fit one of his strengths into their weakness.

"He's so versatile in what he can do. I hope he brings it," Bickerstaff said. "He has the ability to score. We've obviously seen that. One of the things that goes unnoticed is the way he can defensive rebound, which is something this team needs. We need a guy who can go get busy on the glass. Our defense improves dramatically if we're a better defensive rebounding team.

"I'm comfortable with his game. That's one of the reasons why we brought him in. We understand who he is. We watched him play. I watched him play on tape while he was over in China. I think his game has expanded. He's a better playmaker now, because he was forced to play versus a bunch of double-teams over there. His rebounding improved over there."

Beyond the skills Beasley brought to the NBA as the second pick of the 2008 draft - "Like he takes breaths, he can score the ball," Bickerstaff said - Beasley said he has grown, expanding his game beyond his one-on-one talents.

"I'm a more mature player," Beasley, 27, said. "I don't take as many throw-away shots. I pay more attention to the defensive side, the little things, the intangibles that help a team win. Definitely a different player, but with the same skill set.

"I've become a student of the game - getting my teammates open, getting them in the best position to be most effective for the team. Talking on defense is definitely key, letting everybody know where you are, where they should be. And rebounding and running. We have a young group of athletic guys. The more we can rebound and run, the better we'll be."

Immediate help wanted

The Rockets might not be ready to rely on that beyond this season, having tried to fill the position so often before. But of all the power forwards on the roster, only Harrell has a guaranteed contract for next season. The Rockets hope Beasley shows enough in the remainder of this season to bring him back for another.

For now, they are a team paying a franchise-record $95 million in salary and luxury taxes. Their concern is more immediate than to collect options for next season.

"We're looking for someone who can help us now and help us into the future," general manager Daryl Morey said. "We wouldn't sign a guy we didn't think could help us this year. Obviously, it hasn't been the year we wanted, but winning this year continues to be the goal."

Jonathan Feigen has been the Rockets beat writer since 1998 and a basketball nut since before Willis Reed limped out for Game 7. He became a sports writer because the reporter that was supposed to cover the University of Delaware basketball team decided to instead play one more season of college lacrosse and has never looked back.

Feigen, who has won APSE, APME and United States Basketball Writers Association awards from El Campo to Houston, came to Texas in 1981 to cover the Rice Birds, was Sports Editor in Garland before moving to Dallas to cover everything from the final hurrah of the Southwest Conference to SMU after the death penalty.

After joining the Houston Chronicle in 1990, Feigen has covered the demise of the SWC, the rise of the Big 12 and the Rockets at their championship best.